Promising Memories
by Taiyou-midnight127
Summary: Memories of an incomplete friendship that Naruto is trying to remember.


**Promising Memories**

_Sigh_

It's been 2 ½ years.

This place brings back good and bad memories. Like the battle between best friends. Statues of the Shodaime and Uchiha Madara stood before them during the battle that determined the path they follow.

Now he's here, standing before them again. Trying to remember everything.

"The Valley of the End." Naruto looked up at the statues, and then closed his eyes, thinking back to the point where they parted.

He remembered the clash very clearly. Every move, every turn, the things they said, everything. But there was something that he didn't really remember. It was what happened after that last blow.

_~Flashback~_

_Chidori!!!!!_

_Rasengan!!!!!_

_We exchanged our blows. It could've killed me if my stamina level wasn't as high as it was and with the help of the nine-tailed fox's shroud._

"_I can't give up"_

"_I can't look back"_

_Everything, our bonds, our emotions and our determination was put into that one strike. _

_We were swallowed up by a giant ball of purple chakra that our blows created._

_I reached out to Sasuke, as if telling him not to go. My claws collided with his forehead protector, making a scratch. I knew that even if I can't bring him back, I can prove to him that I am strong enough to leave a mark on his forehead. _

_Sasuke stopped his Chidori and hit my chest with his hand, just missing my heart._

_Before we knew it we were surrounded by what seemed to be bright light._

_~End Flashback~_

That was when my memory started to fade.

What was I trying to remember? Was it important?

_~Flashback~_

_I looked at what was in front of me and wondered what was happening._

_I closed my eyes and remembered something that happened 7 years ago, when I was 8._

_2 hands with intertwined fingers from 2 young boys. _

_~End Flashback~_

Naruto looked at his hands.

He remembered that one of the hands in the memory was a sun-kissed tan, and the other had moon-lit skin.

_~Flashback~_

_Naruto was walking down to one of the academy training grounds. The academy students would use the training grounds for any kind of combat or practicing. Sometimes the academy students would just hang out there or eat lunch._

_He had woken up really early to practice his kunai training. Apparently he didn't have a very good sleep last night so he was in a bad mood. Why? It's because he stayed up late to clean up around his apartment and room. His apartment was really messy. There were clothes, empty ramen cups and scrolls lying around. There might be some other stuff there too._

_He continued to walk down the road to the training grounds. He thought of what he could do to make the training more fun. Training had always been lonely without anyone to train with and encouraging him to do better. Naruto wanted the training to be different to day, but what are the odds of that?_

_The little blond turned a corner and saw someone around his age that was throwing kunais like an expert. _'I guess it's going to be a little different today."

_The boy had black hair that spiked up at the back. He was wearing a black, long sleeved shirt that had a raised collar and white shorts. He looked a little taller than Naruto._

"_Hey! You're in my training spot!" Naruto didn't like people taking his things._

_The boy didn't stop throwing the kunais. "I was here first." He threw a shuriken like an expert._

"_Can't you train somewhere else?!" the blond stomped his foot in frustration. "I reserved this spot! See!" He pointed to a log standing upright next to the one the raven-haired boy was practicing on._

_The boy stopped and looked over. "There's nothing there," he had a smug look plastered on his face._

"_B-b-but, there was a piece of paper that I taped there!"_

"_Well, it isn't there now," he went back training._

_Naruto stepped closer to the boy and then walked over to a log. "Fine, do what you like." Naruto reached into his shuriken holster only to realize that he didn't pack any. He frowned in annoyance._

_The boy noticed this but didn't do anything about it and continued to train._

"_Um, hey, I'm out of kunai and shuriken."_

"…"

"_Hello! I'm talking to you!"_

"…"

_Naruto grew impatient. "Sasuke, stop ignoring me!"_

"…" _Sasuke turned his attention to Naruto now. "So? What do you want me to do about it?"_

_Naruto furrowed his brow. He turned his head the other way, wearing a frown. "Can I borrow some of your kunai?"_

_Sasuke smirked. "Only if you let me stay here."_

_The kitsune pouted, he doesn't really want to share a training ground with Sasuke, but at the same time, he does. _

"_Tsk, fine."_

_Sasuke handed a few kunai and shuriken to Naruto, enough to last the training time. _

_They started to train for the next 2 hours, eventually, they got tired and stopped. They sometimes laughed and taught each other how to do something; they sparred a little bit too. They talked about things that they didn't tell anyone before. Basically, they bonded. _

"_I'm tired," Naruto said as he toppled on top of Sasuke._

"_Hey! Get off me, dobe!" _

_Naruto got off of Sasuke. _

"_Heh, sorry 'bout that." Naruto scratched the back of his head._

_They stood up and brushed the dust off of themselves._

"_Training was never this much fun," Naruto laughed._

"_Hn. I'm going home." He turned and started to head home._

_Naruto looked at his back for a few seconds. He thought of the time they spent together and smiled. "Hey, Sasuke! Wait up!" Naruto ran up to Sasuke's left side. _

_They had a walk down to an empty street in Konoha. It was lined with big oak trees and has a stone footpath. They walked side by side and thought about the same things. _

'Sasuke is really nice when you get to know him. Who knew that he only wanted to have a friend by his side?'

'The dobe is somewhat alright to be around, at least when he isn't talking about ramen.'

"_How about you train with me again tomorrow?" Naruto asked adding a sweet smile, hoping it will help get Sasuke to train with him again._

_Sasuke took one glance and looked away. "I guess it wouldn't hurt."_

"_Are we friends?" Naruto asked in a hush voice and looked down at his feet quickly. Naruto had hoped that Sasuke didn't hear it, but Sasuke heard it._

_He smiled. "You can say that."_

_Naruto looked up a little surprised. He was happy to hear him admit that he was a friend of the Sasuke Uchiha who never wanted anyone near him. He always pushed everyone away. While Naruto had always tried to make friends, but no one would go near him since their parents wouldn't let them. They never knew why. Because Sasuke didn't have any parents to tell him to stay away from Naruto, they became good friends._

_The blond gripped his chest. He felt warm and fuzzy inside, he never had a real friend before. He wanted to make the best of it. Naruto walked closer to Sasuke reached out and brushed his hand against the other boy's enough to get his attention. The older boy smiled. Naruto looked at his face. This time he reached out again to hold his hand. _

_-- _

_They continued to walk down the path together as friends._

_Naruto broke the silence, "Sasuke, can you promise me something?" who is still holding onto Sasuke's hand._

"_Depends on what it is."_

_The younger boy paused for a bit. He was thinking of the right way to say it._

"_Well? What is it?"_

_Naruto stopped walking and turned to Sasuke. He looked up and made sure that Sasuke was listening._

"_Can you promise me to always be my friend no matter what path you take?"_

_Sasuke had a questioned look on his face._

"_It's because you are my first friend and I want to walk down this path with you again." _

_The raven looked at the trees behind Naruto for a second and answered, "To tell you the truth you were my first friend as well. Before that I had another kind of friend…" Then he grew angry._

_Naruto knew not to ask or else he will get Sasuke even angrier. "So? Do you promise me?"_

_The boy's face softened, "Of course."_

_Naruto grinned and held out his right pinkie finger. "Pinkie promise me!"_

"_Nah, pinkie promises are so childish."_

"_But we _are_ children."_

"_I meant we should have another way of promising each other." _

_Naruto lifted his right first two fingers and took Sasuke's. Their fingers intertwined to form a promise._

"_How's that?" Naruto smiled._

_Sasuke smiled, "That's a promise."_

_Together they said, "Friends, no matter what path we take."_

_~End Flashback~_

"So Sasuke was my friend even before we became genin."

Naruto looked up at the statues.

The blond was a little unsure if he would bring Sasuke back, but what he remembered really helped him realize that the bond they share is really strong.

He unzipped his jacket and took off one of his necklaces. He held it in his hand. It was the one with Sasuke on it. He closed his hand and held it close to his heart. He closed his eyes and promised.

"Sasuke, I will bring you back to Konoha."

--

"Sasuke-kun, tired already?" Orochimaru said flailing his tongue around.

"Whatever, I'm going back to my room. And stop swinging your tongue around, it's annoying."

"Heh heh heh, you certainly are amusing."

Sasuke walked down the stairs to his room.

The hall that he headed down was dark with a few lit torches mounted on the wall. There were snake designs and markings on the walls and ceiling, while the floor was wooden.

He sat down and looked around the room until his eyes fell on something shimmering in the torchlight on his night table.

Sasuke looked at it for a few seconds then reached for it. It was a necklace shaped like an upside down triangle with rounded edges. It almost looked like a heart. What captured Sasuke's eyes the most? Naruto.

"Hmph, how can something like you shine so brightly?"

The boy looked at it for a moment then put it around his neck. He walked towards the mirror and again the necklace shone brilliantly.

--

"Naruto"

"Sasuke"

"_Friends, no matter what path we take."_


End file.
